DE102020109875A1 - Device for estimating a travel time up to a meeting - Google Patents

Abstract

A device is disclosed for estimating a travel time (80) up to a collision of a vehicle with another vehicle on a route (400) to be traveled repeatedly based on vehicle-specific distance-time profiles (10, 110). The vehicle includes a device for determining its own position (50). The other vehicle provides at least a section (15) of a distance-time profile (10) associated with it. The device comprises a profile determination module (100) which is designed to determine a distance-time profile (110) using the vehicle's own position (50), a receiving module (200) for receiving at least the section (15) of the vehicle the distance-time profile (10) belonging to the other vehicle and an estimation module (300) which is designed to calculate, based on the determined distance-time profile (110) and the distance-time profile (10) of the other vehicle, a Estimate travel time (80) until a future collision of the vehicle with the other vehicle.

Description

The present invention relates to a device and a method for estimating a travel time until two vehicles meet, to a system for estimating times of such encounters, and in particular to a method for determining the time of a meeting of several vehicles.

BACKGROUND

In situations in which several vehicles repeatedly drive along a certain route, drivers of such a vehicle can be given advance warnings about vehicles approaching rapidly from behind to relieve the strain. Information about expected encounters - especially during overtaking maneuvers - therefore leads to an increase in safety in such situations. Examples of such situations can initially be found in motorsport, but can also occur in test procedures (e.g. during vehicle test drives).

In motorsport, there is a blue flag as a warning and instruction for overtaking maneuvers as a sign for drivers who will soon be lapped. The blue flag indicates that a faster vehicle is approaching and must be allowed to pass. Flag signals are usually displayed to drivers by race control staff (track attendants) from locations away from the track.

Recognizing the flag can be difficult, especially for amateurs. In addition, the flag does not allow any differentiated information about the lapping vehicle. However, such information is particularly desirable at racing events with several different vehicle types, for example at events for racing amateurs. For example, there are situations in which there are several outwardly identical vehicles of different racing classes on the track, but which have different physical properties, for example with regard to the size of the engine displacement. This can make it very difficult to estimate, for example, an expected time until the overtaking maneuver.

From these considerations, there is a need to use position data of the vehicles to determine in advance when two vehicles will meet on the route. In vehicle traffic, time-to-collision calculations, such as those in DE102017215692A1 or in DE112016001484T5 are disclosed. In each of these examples, a model is used to estimate the time until the vehicles involved meet. The models used include the assumption of constant speed or constant speed and constant acceleration. In motorsport races in particular, however, there are often very dynamic driving styles that make a better assessment necessary. The reasons for this are the high speed changes, for example when negotiating a curve, but also the very high speed differences between the vehicles in sections. There is thus a need for an improved method of estimating a time span between a point in time at which an overtaking vehicle is a certain distance behind the vehicle to be overtaken and a point in time when an overtaking process is taking place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This object is at least partially achieved by an apparatus according to claim 1, a system according to claim 5, a method according to claim 8 and a computer program product according to claim 9. The dependent claims relate to advantageous developments of the claims mentioned.

The present invention relates to a device for estimating a travel time up to a collision of a vehicle with another vehicle. The vehicle and the other vehicle are located on a route to be traveled repeatedly, and the estimate is based on vehicle-specific distance-time profiles. The vehicle is equipped with a device for determining an own position, and the device comprises a profile determination module which is designed to determine a distance-time profile using the own position of the vehicle. The other vehicle provides at least a section of a path-time profile associated with it, and the device comprises a receiving module for receiving at least this section of the path-time profile associated with the other vehicle. In addition, the device comprises an estimation module which is designed to estimate a travel time up to a future collision of the vehicle with the other vehicle based on the determined path-time profile and the path-time profile of the other vehicle.

Own position is understood here to be information about a position of the vehicle in question or about the time at which the vehicle in question assumes the position. The device for determining one's own position can include, for example, a receiver for signals from a global satellite navigation system (GNSS) such as the Global Positioning System (GPS). In many cases, racing vehicles are already there equipped with a device of this type as standard. In exemplary embodiments, the own positions each contain position data provided with a time stamp. A vehicle's own positions can also relate to a route position (a position with respect to a suitable route coordinate). This can be the case in particular if the position on a map is less relevant for a profile of the lap time, but the progress in a coordinate system of the route.

The route to be traveled repeatedly can in particular be a racing route. In addition to the vehicle and the other vehicle, there may be other vehicles on the route.

A distance-time profile comprises a set of data from which the expected own positions of the vehicle or the other vehicle can be determined over time, especially with regard to the route (e.g. with regard to a fixed point such as a starting line). Determining a distance-time profile includes recording a number of self-positions and associated times that the vehicle occupies in one drive through the route. A distance-time profile therefore only exists once the driver has driven the vehicle through the route. It is intended to serve as a prediction of the vehicle's driving trajectory for later passages. This is based on the assumption that an experienced driver (even at an amateur level) ideally drives the route in a similar way.

Optionally, the vehicle-specific path-time profiles each include a plurality of discrete points in time and associated position information and the at least one section includes one or more of the following information: one or more future point in time (s) and the associated position (s), a Position of the other vehicle at the time of provision. The path-time profiles of the vehicle and the other vehicle can in particular include a set of data with which future own positions of the respective vehicle can be estimated, and the section of the path-time profile provided by the other vehicle allows at least one Estimating a future own position and / or includes a current own position of the other vehicle.

Data can be transmitted between the vehicle and the other vehicle, for example, by a communication system using electromagnetic waves, for example by a radio system. The section that is transmitted by the other vehicle is extensive enough to enable the other vehicle's own positions to be estimated for a probable period of time during the overtaking process. The own position of the other vehicle can be included indirectly through the beginning of the section at the time of transmission. Alternatively or additionally, one or more positions or own positions can also be sent from the other vehicle to the vehicle. In the estimation module, the distance-time profiles are compared as a function of the vehicles' own positions, and from this a time until the vehicle and the other vehicle meet is determined.

The modules of the device - in particular the profile determination module, the receiving module and the estimation module - are not necessarily present as separate units, but can be combined, as non-independent components of other parts of the device or functionally inseparable.

Optionally, the profile determination module is further designed to determine the distance-time profile of the vehicle based on at least one passage of the route in a learning process.

The learning process can, in particular, consist in the device determining a distance-time profile during a journey through the route and comparing the distance-time profile with an already existing distance-time profile at the end of the lap, connecting and / or the newly determined distance-time profile evaluated. In particular, recognized driving errors or external circumstances such as weather conditions, the presence of areas with speed or other driving restrictions or a maintenance stop (pit stop) can be included or deliberately ignored in the assessment. In addition, information about the type and number of other vehicles on the route and about technical data of the vehicle (e.g. cubic capacity or maximum acceleration) can be included in the assessment. A replacement of a previously determined distance-time profile can consist of discarding a previously determined distance-time profile, an averaging or weighted averaging or also in a selection e.g. of the fastest lap from several distance-time profiles.

Optionally, the profile determination module is further designed to determine a position of the vehicle in the distance-time profile by identifying a corresponding route segment and a shift within the corresponding route segment for a subdivision of the route into a number of route segments of the same length.

The length of a route segment can relate to a center line of the route, for example.

The device for determining the travel time is optionally designed to output a warning signal to the estimated travel time according to a defined condition.

The term “warning signal” is broadly defined; it can be an acoustic signal for a driver of the vehicle or the transmission of the determined information to higher-level systems. The warning signal can also be forwarded or transmitted to the other vehicle.

The device can also be designed entirely or partially outside the vehicle, for example in a central processing unit. In this case, the processing unit receives the own positions of the vehicle and / or of the other vehicle. The transmission of distance-time profiles or at least the section of a distance-time profile can take place within the processing unit, and only the result of the estimation of the driving time up to a meeting and / or the warning signal to the vehicle and / or to the other vehicle are transferred.

Embodiments also relate to a system for estimating times of encounters for a number of vehicles based on vehicle-specific path-time profiles, each of which reproduces a probable speed profile of the associated vehicle. The system comprises at least one position determination device which is designed to repeatedly determine the vehicles' own positions. The system further comprises a communication device which is designed to transmit data between at least two vehicles in each case, the data depending on the distance-time profiles of the vehicles. In addition, the system comprises a device for estimating the travel time as described above, which is embodied in each vehicle. The position determination devices can be present in each vehicle, for example, or there is a (central) position determination device which can determine the positions for all vehicles and which can then communicate with vehicles via the communication device.

• - Positionen der Fahrzeuge,
• - Weg-Zeit-Profile der Fahrzeuge (oder Abschnitte davon),
• - Fahrzeiten bis zu einem zukünftigen Zusammentreffen des Fahrzeugs mit dem anderen Fahrzeug,
• - Geschwindigkeiten der Fahrzeuge.

It is optional here that the communication device is designed to transmit data between a vehicle and another vehicle in accordance with at least one bullet point in the following list:

• - positions of the vehicles,
• - Distance-time profiles of the vehicles (or sections thereof),
• - Travel times until a future meeting of the vehicle with the other vehicle,
• - Vehicle speeds.

Optionally, the position determination device determines the vehicles' own positions at regular time intervals, for example with a frequency of 10 Hertz (Hz).

• - Bestimmen eines ersten Weg-Zeit-Profils für die zu durchfahrende Strecke unter Verwendung von Eigenpositionen des Fahrzeugs;
• - Empfangen eines zweiten Weg-Zeit-Profils für die zu durchfahrende Strecke unter Verwendung von Eigenpositionen des anderen Fahrzeugs;
• - Abschätzen einer Fahrzeit bis zu einem zukünftigen Zusammentreffen des Fahrzeugs und des anderen Fahrzeugs unter Verwendung zumindest eines Abschnitts des ersten Weg-Zeit-Profils sowie zumindest eines Abschnitts des zweiten Weg-Zeit-Profils.

The present invention also relates to a method for estimating a travel time up to a collision of a vehicle with another vehicle on a route to be traveled repeatedly. The process consists of the following steps:

• - Determination of a first path-time profile for the route to be traveled using the vehicle's own positions;
• - Receiving a second distance-time profile for the route to be traveled using the other vehicle's own positions;
• - Estimating a travel time until a future meeting of the vehicle and the other vehicle using at least a section of the first travel-time profile and at least a section of the second travel-time profile.

According to these steps, the process consists of two main parts. The first part is the recording and processing of the data required to calculate the time intervals between the individual vehicles or race participants. The second part is the actual calculation of the time interval between the participants.

Embodiments also relate to a computer program product with a data carrier and software code stored thereon, which is designed to carry out a method of the type described above when the software code is executed in at least one data processing device.

In particular, the method can be stored as software code on a device that has a plug-and-play property, that is, can be connected as a peripheral device to a device existing in the vehicle without having to make further configurations or settings or install device drivers.

In exemplary embodiments, the method is carried out as a method for determining the point in time when at least two vehicles collide with one another known route, characterized in that a distance-time profile or distance-time profile or movement profile is created for the vehicles concerned from past telemetric data, whereby the future time of the meeting can be predicted. At least the position data and / or the speed data of the vehicle or vehicles can be used to calculate at least the movement profile of an individual vehicle, but preferably of several or all vehicles on the route. The decision to update the movement profiles is made at least on the basis of the evaluation of telemetry data. The distance-time profile is calculated by a suitable computing unit with the aid of at least one recorded movement profile of one of the vehicles. The computing unit can be implemented as a computing unit that is independent of the vehicles or it can be located in a vehicle. Furthermore, at least part of the information transfer can take place via a communication interface that uses electromagnetic waves or sound waves to transfer the necessary information for the calculation from the corresponding vehicle to the surrounding vehicles and / or to a central processing unit and / or to another communication unit. In addition, an information or warning signal can be generated in the vehicle during the race, provided that the value falls below a threshold value for the time until the meeting. The generation of the information or warning signal is optionally omitted if the racing class and current lap of the approaching vehicles do not differ.

In summary, a core of the invention consists of the calculation of the time intervals between the vehicles. It is crucial that data that have already been recorded are used for the calculation, since assumptions such as constant acceleration or constant speed do not correspond to reality on a racetrack; rather, the vehicles drive as fast on the racetrack as is possible under the given boundary conditions. The boundary conditions include the various participants who are also on the track, weather conditions, road conditions and the current state of the race (e.g. the race has been abandoned or a sector that is slowly driven through due to an accident).

Embodiments of the present invention offer the following advantages. The device and the method described are particularly suitable for use on closed routes, since a minimum amount of information is required for the application. These include, for example, the assumptions that the vehicles make sharp changes in speed and that they are traveling on a previously known route. For a motorsport application, the device is suitable for improving the safety of the racing drivers on the track by removing a source of inattentiveness from the driver through the automated calculation of the meeting times, since he / she can be informed in good time about approaching vehicles.

Figure list

• 1 zeigt ein Schema für ein Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung.
• 2 zeigt ein Ablaufdiagramm zu einer Erstellung eines Weg-Zeit-Profils.
• 3 zeigt Details zur Bestimmung einer Position auf der Strecke.
• 4 illustriert einen Abgleich zweier Weg-Zeit-Profile.
• 5 zeigt Schritte eines Verfahrens zur Abschätzung einer Fahrzeit bis zu einem Zusammentreffen zweier Fahrzeuge.

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be better understood with reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings of the various exemplary embodiments, which, however, should not be understood in such a way that they restrict the disclosure to the specific embodiments, but merely serve for explanation and understanding.

• 1 shows a scheme for an embodiment of the present invention.
• 2 shows a flowchart for creating a path-time profile.
• 3 shows details for determining a position on the route.
• 4th illustrates a comparison of two distance-time profiles.
• 5 shows steps of a method for estimating a travel time until two vehicles meet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

1 shows a scheme for an embodiment of a device for estimating a travel time 80 until a vehicle collides with another vehicle on a route to be traveled repeatedly. The estimate is based on vehicle-specific travel-time profiles 10 , 110 . To create an associated distance-time profile 110 the vehicle has a device for determining its own position 50 . The other vehicle represents at least one section 15th the time-travel profile associated with it 10 ready. There is this section 15th at least from a single point and can also only contain the current position of the vehicle. The device comprises a profile determination module 100 , a receiving module 200 and an estimation module 300 . The profiling module 100 is trained to use one's own position 50 the vehicle's distance-time profile 110 to investigate. The receiving module 200 is designed to the section 15th of the distance-time profile belonging to the other vehicle 10 to recieve. The estimation module 300 is designed to be based on the determined path-time profile 110 and the section 15th the path-time profile 10 of the other vehicle Travel time 80 to estimate until a future collision of the vehicle with the other vehicle. In addition, the estimation module 300 be trained to give a warning 90 (the "blue flag" in motorsport) and, for example, to display it to the driver of the vehicle. The warning 90 can also include further information, such as which vehicle (s) are expected to overtake when or where.

2 shows an exemplary embodiment for a process from the recording of the data to a usable path-time profile. The process begins with one's own position 50 of a vehicle at a defined time step. When a vehicle finishes a lap - ie the vehicle has driven through the route to be traveled - a test is carried out 105 whether the lap was driven "cleanly". Clean here means that the vehicle was not in an unstable driving dynamics state during the lap. In this way, it is excluded that laps are used for the calculation that have been driven with gross driving errors. Additionally, in the exam 105 external factors 30th that prevented a lap from being driven at maximum speed. This includes, for example, a visit to the pit lane or an area with a yellow flag, in which you are only allowed to drive at reduced speed. If the lap has not been driven properly, the data will be discarded 115 . If, however, the lap has been driven cleanly, the existing own position data will be used 50 used to be a way-time profile 110 to be calculated, which may replace an existing profile. Other ways of updating the old profile - such as averaging from several laps or selecting the fastest lap - can also be used.

zugeordnet. Er beschreibt die normierte Richtung der Tangente an die Streckenmittellinie 450. 3 shows an embodiment for a determination of a self-position 50 in relation to the known route. A section of the route is shown 400 . The route for a route-time profile is shown in a route coordinate s, since the position on a map is less relevant for a profile of the lap time, but the progress in the route's coordinate system 400 . The distance 400 is converted into a number K of route segments 401-404 divided into equal length. Every route segment 401-404 is assigned a dividing line with index k ∈ {0, ..., K - 1} and a distance s (k) covered there. Furthermore, each dividing line k is a normalized direction vector $\overrightarrow{\upsilon }\left(k\right)$

assigned. It describes the normalized direction of the tangent to the route center line 450.

mit x-y-Koordinate $\overrightarrow{P}\left(t\right)={\left(x,y\right)}^T$

bezüglich eines gewählten Koordinatensystems, führt nun wie folgt auf eine zugehörige Streckenkoordinate $s\left(\overrightarrow{P}\right):$

Für eine gemessene Eigenposition 50 wird ein zugehöriges Streckensegment 404 bestimmt. Der zurückgelegte Weg $s\left(\overrightarrow{P}\right)$

ergibt sich dann aus der Distanz s(k), die diesem Streckensegment 404 zugeordnet ist, und dem projizierten Abstand der Eigenposition, $$s\left(\overrightarrow{P}\right)=s\left(k\right)+\overrightarrow{\upsilon }\left(k\right)\cdot \left(\overrightarrow{P}\left(t\right)-{\overrightarrow{P}}_k\right),$$

wobei der Vektor ${\overrightarrow{P}}_k$

den Kreuzungspunkt der Mittellinie mit der Trennlinie k bezeichnet.An own position 50 , for example a GPS position at time t given by a vector $\overrightarrow{\mathrm{P.}}\left(t\right)$

with xy coordinate $\overrightarrow{\mathrm{P.}}\left(t\right)={\left(x,y\right)}^T$

with respect to a selected coordinate system, now leads to an associated line coordinate as follows $s\left(\overrightarrow{\mathrm{P.}}\right):$

For a measured own position 50 becomes an associated route segment 404 certainly. The path covered $s\left(\overrightarrow{\mathrm{P.}}\right)$

then results from the distance s (k) that this route segment 404 is assigned, and the projected distance of the self-position, $$s\left(\overrightarrow{\mathrm{P.}}\right)=s\left(k\right)+\overrightarrow{\upsilon }\left(k\right)\cdot \left(\overrightarrow{\mathrm{P.}}\left(t\right)-{\overrightarrow{\mathrm{P.}}}_k\right),$$

where the vector ${\overrightarrow{\mathrm{P.}}}_k$

denotes the intersection of the center line with the dividing line k.

4th illustrates the determination of the meeting points and the times until a collision for a vehicle with another vehicle. The path-time profile is used in the determination 110 of the vehicle, at least a portion of the distance-time profile 10 of the other vehicle, as well as the vehicles' own positions at a point in time t. The left side of the figure shows part of the path-time profile 110 of the vehicle and the distance-time profile 10 of the other vehicle. The current position of each vehicle is indicated on the ordinate in the route coordinate s. The abscissa represents the time that the vehicle has already required according to the profile to get to this section of the route in the current lap.

The right side illustrates the determination of the time until a meeting. Here are the distance-time profiles 10 , 110 shifted so that all vehicles are on the time axis at the same point in time t = 0. The temporal development of the spatial distance between the vehicles is thus shown in the diagram by the difference between shifted distance-time profiles 10 , 110 readable.

If there are several vehicles in the race, the process can also be carried out for all of these vehicles. The relevant profiles for which an overhaul is possible are then selected individually for each vehicle from the respective shifted distance-time profiles. Only vehicles that are at a certain distance from the vehicle are considered for a possible overhaul, or a maximum number of overhauls is assumed for the period under consideration until the next calculation. A possible overhaul is checked for the relevant vehicles and their profiles by searching for intersections.

5 shows steps of a method for estimating a driving time up to a collision of a vehicle with another vehicle on a route to be traveled repeatedly. A first step here includes determining S100 a first distance-time profile for the route to be traveled using the vehicle's own positions. Another step includes receiving S200 a second distance-time profile for the route to be traveled using the other vehicle's own positions. Another step of the method includes estimating S300 a travel time until a future meeting of the vehicle and the other vehicle. This appraisal S300 takes place using at least one section of the first path-time profile and at least one section of the second path-time profile.

The features of the invention disclosed in the description, the claims and the figures can be essential for the implementation of the invention both individually and in any combination.

List of reference symbols

10

Distance-time profile of another vehicle

15th

Section of the path-time profile of another vehicle

30th

external factors

50

Own position of the vehicle

80

Travel time

90

Warning (blue flag)

100

Profiling module

110

Distance-time profile of the vehicle

200

Receiving module

300

Estimation module

400

route

401, ..., 404:

Segment routes

S100, ..., S300:

Procedural steps

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• DE 102017215692 A1 [0005]
• DE 112016001484 T5 [0005]

Claims (10)

A device for estimating a travel time (80) until a vehicle meets another vehicle on a route (400) to be traveled repeatedly based on vehicle-specific path-time profiles (10, 110), the vehicle having a device for determining its own position (50) comprises and the other vehicle provides at least a section (15) of the path-time profile (10) associated with it, the device comprises: a profile determination module (100) which is designed to determine a distance-time profile (110) using the vehicle's own position (50); a receiving module (200) for receiving at least the section (15) of the path-time profile (10) belonging to the other vehicle; and an estimation module (300) which is designed, based on the determined path-time profile (110) and the path-time profile (10) of the other vehicle, a travel time (80) until a future collision of the vehicle with the estimate another vehicle. Device according to Claim 1 , wherein the vehicle-specific path-time profiles (110) are each given by a plurality of discrete points in time and associated position information and the at least one section (15) comprises one or more of the following information: one or more future point in time (s) and the associated position (s), - an indication of the position of the other vehicle at the time of provision. The device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the profile determination module (100) is further designed to determine the path-time profile (110) of the vehicle based on at least one passage of the route (400) in a learning process. The device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the route (400) is divided into a number of route segments (401-404) of equal length, and wherein the profile determination module (100) is further designed to determine a position of the vehicle in distance-time To determine the profile (110) by identifying a corresponding route segment (404) and a shift within the corresponding route segment (404). The device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the estimation module (300) is designed to output a warning signal (90) for the estimated travel time (80) according to a defined condition. A system for estimating times (80) of encounters for a number of vehicles based on vehicle-specific path-time profiles (10, 110), each of which reproduces a probable speed profile of the associated vehicle, with: at least one position determination device designed to repeatedly determine the vehicles' own positions (50); a communication device designed to transmit data between at least two vehicles in each case, the data depending on the distance-time profiles (10, 110) of the vehicles; and a device for estimating the travel time (80) according to one of the preceding claims, which is embodied in each vehicle. The system after Claim 5 , wherein the communication device is designed to transmit data between a vehicle and another vehicle according to at least one bullet point of the following list: - positions of the vehicles, - distance-time profiles (10, 110) of the vehicles, - travel times (80) until a future collision of the vehicle with the other vehicle, - the speeds of the vehicles. The system after Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein the position determination device determines the vehicles' own positions (50) at regular time intervals. A method for estimating a travel time (80) up to a collision of a vehicle with another vehicle on a route to be traveled repeatedly with the following steps: - Determination (S100) of a first distance-time profile (110) for the route to be traveled using the vehicle's own positions (50); - Receiving (S200) at least one section (15) of a second distance-time profile (10) of the other vehicle; - Estimating (S300) a travel time (80) until a future meeting of the vehicle and the other vehicle using at least one section of the first distance-time profile (110) and at least one section (15) of the second distance-time profile (10). A computer program product with a data carrier and software code stored thereon, which is designed to carry out the method when the software code is executed in at least one data processing device Claim 8 to execute.

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